The present invention generally relates to a technique for detection of objects in the ground by means of ground radars. More specifically, the invention relates to a plant for generation of information indicative of the depth and the orientation of an object positioned below the surface of the ground which plant is adapted to use electromagnetic radiation emitted from and received by an antenna system associated with the plant and which plant has a transmitter and a receiver for generation of the electromagnetic radiation in cooperation with the antenna system mentioned and for reception of an electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object in cooperation with the antenna system, respectively. Various technical solutions and embodiments of such ground radar plants and various embodiments of methods for generation of information about the depth and position of the object in question from a detection by means of ground radars are known. Examples of such technical solutions are described in the following publications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,080, 5,192,952, 5,499,029, 4,504,033, 5,325,095, 4,430,653, 4,698,634, 4,062,010, 4,839,654 and 5,130,711. These U.S. patents are referred to and they are hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference. Especially U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,897 describes a technique which is relevant in the present context as this US patent discloses an antenna construction in *J which a number of dipoles are positioned symmectically around a common centre and are brought to pivot either mechanically or electrically for generation of and reception of electromagnetic radiation. This technology enables to a large extent achievement of relevant information about the position and orientation of the object in question, but the technique is still open to improvements and modifications rendering it possible to obtain an even substantially improved generation of information and thus a safer and more reliable identification of the depth and orientation of the object to be identified.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ground radar plant, i.e. a plant of the type described in the introduction, which plant provides an improved functionality regarding identification of the object in question, compared to technical solutions of the prior art, and consequently provides an improved measuring technique, compared to technical solutions of the prior art.
This object together with numerous other objects, advantages and special features of the present invention which will be evident from the following detailed description is obtained by means of a plant of the type mentioned in the introduction, which plant is characterized by being adapted to use electromagnetic radiation emitted from and received by an antenna system associated with the plant and having a transmitter and a receiver for generation of the electromagnetic radiation in cooperation with the antenna system mentioned, and for reception of an electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object in cooperation with the antenna system, respectively, characterized in that the antenna system comprises a plurality of individual dipole antennas, which are positioned in relation to the geometrical centres of the antenna system with the centres of the various dipole antennas displaced in relation to the geometrical centre of the antenna system and that the plant has means for rotation, either mechanically or electrically, of the antenna system around or in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system. The embodiment of the antenna system characteristic of the present invention with the various dipole antenna displaced in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system enables a substantially more complex radiation of electromagnetic radiation and at the same time a more precise and subtle reception of electromagnetic radiation which makes the obtaining of a substantial improvement of the measuring technique possible.
The antenna system characteristic of the present invention may in accordance with two alternative embodiments be produced in a manner so that the individual dipole antenna are positioned radially from the geometric centre of the antenna system, still with the centres of the various dipole antenna positioned displaced in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system and especially with the centres of the various dipole antennas positioned on a circle or on several circles with different radii and with the geometric centre of the antenna system coincident with the centres of the circles in question, or the various dipole antenna may alternatively form a triangle structure positioned symmetrically around the geometric centre of the antenna system, i.e. with dipoles positioned in a triangle and with the vertex of a triangle positioned in the geometric centre of the antenna system or with composite triangle structures forming a configuration positioned symmetrically around the geometric centre of the antenna system. Alternatively, these two dipole antenna embodiments may be combined, similarly provision of another radiation pattern, other geometric configurations than triangle structures may also be used, e.g. quadrangle or polygonal structures or combinations of several different multiangle structures.
The individual antenna elements of the antenna system of the plant according to the present invention, being characteristic of the present invention, forming parallel orientered sets of transmitter and receiver, or alternatively the individual antenna elements forming orthogonally oriented transmitter and receiver pairs. Furthermore, the individual antenna elements of the antenna system may be co-polar or alternatively cross-polar. These special features enable the use of a broad variety of embodiments.
The plant according to the present invention may comprise means for production of rotation of the antenna system and thus produce a rotation, either mechanically or electrically of the antenna system. Preferably, in the present invention electronic rotation is applied in order to obtain a thorough control of the roation and a substantial reduction of the total weight of the plant. The electronic rotation may be produced by shifting between the individual antenna elements of the antenna system and thus providing polarization of the electromagnetic field around the geometric centre in angular increments which typically may be in the order of 22.5xc2x0, 30xc2x0, 36xc2x0 or divisions or multiples of such angles.
The antenna system of the plant according to the present invention may in accordance with one embodiment generate electromagnetic radiation and receive electromagnetic radiation at several individual frequences, preferably in the range of 100 MHz to 1 GHz in steps of 5 MHZ. The obtained advantage is the provision of a broad spectrum of reflections.
The plant according to the invention may comprise signal processing means for measurement of a transferring function, e.g. a voltage transfer function, current transfer function or combinations thereof or power transfer functions between signals between the radiation emitted by the antenna system and the radiation received by the antenna system. In the present invention a voltage transfer function for connected values of the angular change of the antenna system and the frequency of the signal emitted by the antenna system and the signal received by the antenna system is preferably measured.
The signal processing means of the plant according to the present invention may perform the transformation from frequency to time by Fourier transformation or by application of a mathematic exponential model with corresponding rational transfer function on the transfer function associated with a specific angle, for generation of a continuous-in-time function for each angle which is calculated at a predetermined number of discrete times with identical calculation moments for each angle. Furthermore, the signal processing means may perform a transformation from frequency to time by Fourier transformation or by use of a mathematic exponential model with corresponding rational transfer function for each angular harmonic a time dependent, in-time-continuous function at a predetermined number of discrete times, with identical calculation moments for every angular harmonic, generating a set of numbers corresponding to a mathematic function having the angular harmonic discreted and the time discreted as independent variables. This enables a reliable determination of the strength and time delays of substantial reflectors even though ideal circumstances are not present.
The signal processing means of the plant according to the present invention may perform signal analysis by Fourier transformation on the for each of the employed moments associated with each angle, continuous in time, function having the time as a constant and the angle as independent variable for generation of a representation in the angle domain. Furthermore, the signal processing means may perform a signal analysis by Fourier transformation for each frequency having the frequency as a constant and the angle as independent variable for generation of a set of numbers having the angular harmonic and the measuring frequency as independent variables. The purpose of applying Fourier transformation is to emphasize the angular harmonic content of the signal at various time delays (and depths).
In the plant according to the present invention, the signal processing means may perform various operations on the processed signals. The signal processing means may preferably perform a scanning of local and global maxima indicating angular periodic reflections of objects, in representation in the angular domain, and where the peak value indicates the time delay of associated reflections from an object. Moreover, the signal processing means may perform calculations of angular position in relation to the antenna system for the angular periodic reflections and the signal processing means may furthermore perform a utilization of collated measurements, made during horizontal movement, for damping of clutter.
The present invention furthermore relates to a method for generation of information indicative of the depth and the orientation of an object positioned below the surface of the ground which method is characterized by comprising the application of electromagnetic radiation emitted from and received by an antenna system by means of a transmitter and a receiver for the generation of the electromagnetic radiation in cooperation with the antenna system, and for the reception of an electromagnetic radiation reflected from the object in cooperation with the antenna system, respectively, characterized in that for transmission and reception of the electromagnetic radiation a plurality of individual dipole antennas are employed which are positioned in relation to the geometrical centre of the antenna system with each of the centres of the antenna elements displaced in relation to the geometrical centre of the antenna system and that the antenna system is rotated, either mechanically or electrically, around or in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system. The method characteristic of the present invention has an embodiment of the antenna system with the various dipole antennas displaced in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system, enabling a substantially more complex generation of electromagnetic radiation and at the same time a more precise and subtle reception of electromagnetic radiation which makes the obtaining of a substantial improvement of the measuring technique possible.
In the method according to the present invention, in accordance with two alternative embodiments of the antenna system, embodiments of the antenna system may be applied so that the individual dipole antennas are positioned radially from the geometric centre of the antenna system, still with the centres of the various dipole antennas in a displaced position in relation to the geometric centre of the antenna system and especially with the centres of the various dipole antennas positioned on a circle or on serveral circles having different radii and with the geometric centre of the antenna system coincident with the centres of the circles in question, or the various dipole antennas may alternatively form triangle structure positioned symmetrically around the geometric centre of the antenna system, i.e. with dipoles positioned in triangle configuration and with the vertex of a triangular positioned in the geometric centre of the antenna system or with composite triangle structures forming a configuration symmetrically positioned around the geometric centre of the antenna system. Alternatively, these two dipole antenna embodiments may be combined. Similarly, for provision of another radiation pattern other geometrical configurations than triangle structures may also be used, e g quadrangle or polygonal structures or combinations of several different multiangle structures.
In the method according to the present invention, the individual antenna elements of the antenna system, especially the dipole antennas forming orthogonally sets of transmitter and receiver, alternatively oriented in parallel, may be used for transmission and reception of the electromagnetic radiation. Furthermore, transmitter and receiver antennas which are co-polar or alternatively cross-polar may be used for transmisstion and reception of the electromagnetic radiation. These special features enable the use of a broad variety of embodiments.
In the method according to the present invention, means for provision of rotation of the antenna system may be used, thus providing a turning either mechanically or electrically of the antenna system. Preferably, in the present invention electronic rotation is applied, in order to obtain a thorough control of the rotation and a substantial reduction of the total weight of the plant. The electronic rotation may be provided by shifting between the individual antenna elements of the antenna system and thus providing polarization of the electromagnetic field around the geometric centre in angular increments which typically may be in the order of 22.5xc2x0, 30xc2x0, 36xc2x0 or divisions or multiples of such angles.
In the method according to the present invention, an antenna system in accordance with the above mentioned embodiment may be used for generation of electromagnetic radiation and reception of electromagnetic radiation at several individual frequences, the typical order of which may be within the area 100 MHz to 1 GHz in steps of 5 MHZ. The advantage obtained is a broad specter of reflections.
In the method according to the present invention, signal processing means may be used for measuring a transfer function, e.g. a voltage transfer function, current transfer function or combinations thereof or power transfer function between signals between the radiation emitted by the antenna system and the radiation received by the antenna system. In the present invention a voltage transfer function for connected values of the angular change of the antenna system and the frequency of the signal emitted by the antenna system and the signal received by the antenna system is preferably measured.
In the method according to the present invention the signal processing means may be used for transformation from frequency to time by Fourier transformation or by application of a mathematic exponential model with corresponding rational transfer function on the transfer function associated with the specific angle, for generation of a function continuous in time and time dependent for each angle which is calculated at a predetermined number of discrete times with identical calculation moments for all the angles. Furthermore, the signal processing means may be used for transformation from frequency to time by Fourier transformation or by use of a mathemathical exponential model with corresponding rational transfer function for each angular harmonic a time dependent function, continuous in time, at a predetermined number of discrete times, with identical calculation moments for all angular harmonic, generating a set of numbers corresponding to a mathematical function having the angular harmonic in discrete form and the time in discrete form as independent variables. This enables a reliable determination of the strength and time delays of important reflectors even though ideal circumstances are not present.
In the method according to the present invention, the signal processing means may be used for signal analysis by Fourier transformation for each of the used employed moments associated with each angle, continuous in time function having the time as a constant and the angle as independent variable for generation of a representation in the angle domain. Furthermore, the signal processing means may perform a signal analysis by Fourier transformation for each frequency having the frequency as a constant and the angle as independent variable for generation of a set of numbers having the angular harmonic and the measuring frequency as independent variables. The purpose of applying Fourier transformation is to emphasize the angular harmonic content of the signal at various time delays (and thus depths).
In the method according to the invention the signal processing means may be used for several operations on the processed signals. The signal processing means may be used for search of local and global maxima indicating angular periodic reflections of objects, in representation in the angular domain, and where the peak value indicates the time delay of associated reflections from an object. Moreover, the signal processing means may be used for calculations of the angular position in relation to the antenna system, for the angular periodic reflections, and the signal processing means may furthermore be used for a utilization of collocated measurements made during horizontal movement, for damping of clutter.